Sex Education, License Reinstatement: New AZ Laws In Effect

PHOENIX, AZ — New laws that went into effect Oct. 1 in Arizona will give parents easy options to view sex education materials before their children do and will reinstate drivers licenses for Arizonans whose driving privileges were suspended due to unpaid civil traffic fines.

Other new laws would also allow community colleges to offer four-year degrees and require that middle and high school students learn about the Holocaust and other genocides.

The sex education law requires public posting of plans in public schools for new sex education courses prior to a school board vote for course approval. School districts are required to hold two public hearings and allow public comments prior to approving any new sex education courses.

Once courses are approved, sex education class materials must be posted online and made available for in-person review at least two weeks before a sex education class begins.

Per the new law, existing sex education course material must also must be posted online. The law also bans sex education courses in kindergarten through fourth grades.

"The legislation provides parents with an opportunity to participate in, review, and provide input on any proposed sex education course of study before it is adopted," Gov. Doug Ducey said in a news release.

Arizona parents already had to opt their children into sex education courses, and there is no law requiring that the subject be taught to public school children in the state, according to the Associated Press.

A new law that prohibits suspension of Arizona driver's licenses based solely on unpaid civil traffic fines also went into effect Oct. 1. Licenses previously suspended due to unpaid civil fines were reinstated Sept. 29. Drivers who are unsure of the status of their license can check here.

Also taking effect Oct. 1 is a law requiring that all public school students be taught about the Holocaust and other genocides at least twice between grades 7-12.

Another new law that took effect Oct. 1 allows community colleges in counties with populations of 750,000 or less to offer four-year bachelor's degrees. The community colleges could begin developing official plans for the degrees as of Oct. 1.